Aerial silks is a beautiful presented sport and is now commonly learnt not just by performers but everyday people looking for fitness and a new sport to learn.
Here Is Why Aerial Silks Can Be Hard In The Beginning:
If you have never learnt anything about Aerial silks it will be challenging in the beginning, as you do need upper body strength and have control and balance skills. But everyone starts somewhere!
In this article we are going to discuss how hard aerial silks is to learn, whether you need to be flexible, how you climb doing aerial silks, and if you can practice by yourself or not. Thanks for reading.
Are Aerial Silks Hard?
Many people who are interested in circus arts often ask this question. The answer is aerial silks can be hard or easy, depending on your experience and skill level.
For beginners, aerial silks can be difficult because there is a lot to learn. You need to be able to control your body while you’re in the air, as well as have a lot of upper body strength.
If you are experiencing difficulty with your aerial silks, read on for some great tips and tricks to help you practice!
How Long Does it Take to Learn Aerial Silks?
When learning aerial silks, you should expect it to take around 5 months before you can confidently perform and move through the routine without getting hung up.
If you already have a background in dance or gymnastics, it will probably take less time for you. But if you don’t have any experience, give yourself at least 4 months of daily practice before expecting to feel safe performing.
Tips To Start as a Beginner
The good news is aerial silks aren’t too hard to learn! It may take a bit of time and patience before you’re ready for an audience, but here are seven tips that can help you get started:
1.Focus on the Quality of Your Movement
When doing any type of movement practice, your focus should always be on quality over quantity. For example, if your goal is to perform aerial silks for one hour a day but you can only practice for 10 minutes without getting tired or feeling pain, stop immediately!
Take the other 50 minutes to do something else. Spend time on leg stretches and planks, focus on breathing exercises, or simply meditate to centre your mind. When you come back to aerial silks, you’ll be able to practice with more focus and less fatigue.
2.Warm Up Before You Practice
This is an important rule for any type of physical activity. A good warm-up will help increase your range of motion, improve your circulation, and reduce your risk of injury. Spend at least 5 minutes doing some sun salutations or other stretches before you begin your aerial silk practice.
3.Start Your Practice with a Few Minutes of Centring
Centering involves releasing tension from your muscles and focusing on releasing any excess energy you might have picked up throughout the day by shaking out your arms, torso, legs, etc. You can also lie on the floor and visualize darkness or light energy flowing through your body, depending on what feels more appealing to you. To centre yourself before performing aerial silks, take 5 deep breaths in and out through your nose.
4.Focus on Your Alignment
It’s important to learn proper alignment for aerial silks because it will help you lessen your risk of injury. All aerial silk moves originate from your core–from the strength in your abs, back muscles, and glutes. You can practice by lying on the floor with a partner holding your legs up in the air, using resistance to help you stay straight. Keep your chin slightly tucked when practicing, so that if you’re upside down, your head won’t fall back and you’ll be less likely to strain your neck.
5.Practice at Home as Much as Possible
This is a great way to really focus on your individual practice and make progress without the pressure of an audience. If you don’t have access to aerial silks equipment, use a door frame or sturdy rafters at home to practice.
6.Practice with a Friend or Partner
It’s always good to have someone there, especially if you’re new to aerial silks and need help from an experienced performer. Check out the Aerial Dance community on Facebook for members in your area who can be a source of inspiration and encouragement! They might even offer you a few tips in exchange.
7.Use a Mirror to Check Your Form
This is especially important when you’re first starting out and may not have good alignment yet. When you’re in the air, it’s often difficult to know if you’re doing a move correctly. A mirror will help you stay aware of your form and make necessary adjustments.
Do You Need to Be Flexible to Do Aerial Silks?
Yes and no. Flexibility is essential when it comes to aerial silks because you’ll need flexibility in your shoulders, back, and hamstrings in order to literally reach for the sky.
Plus, once you get good at aerial silks, you’ll be hanging upside down!
However, unlike yoga or other activities that emphasize flexibility even above everything else, aerial silks is a strength-based practice.
This means that you don’t need to be able to do a perfect split in order to start learning aerial silks. As long as you’re willing to put in the hard work and focus on your alignment, you can progress in aerial silks even if you’re not very flexible.
How do You Climb Aerial Silks?
The first thing to know is that aerial silk doesn’t use the same climbing technique as rock climbing. Aerial silks climbers move both arms at the same time instead of alternating them, which means climbers need strong biceps and shoulders in order to pull themselves up.
Aerial silk climbers also rely heavily on their abdominals for support by squeezing their abs tight and using them to generate power.
There are many different ways to climb aerial silks, and beginners should start by learning the basic climbing technique. Once you have a good grasp of the basics, you can add in more advanced moves.
The Basic Climbing Technique
1.Start by standing in the middle of the aerial silks with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Reach up and grab the aerial silk with your dominant hand, making sure that your grip is secure.
3. Bring your other hand to your dominant hand and clasp fingers together.
4. Now, use your abdominal muscles to pull yourself up into the air, making sure to keep your back straight.
5. Continue to pull yourself up, alternating the arm you’re using every few moves for an added challenge.
6. When you get comfortable with this technique, try hanging upside down or doing a knee hang!
Can You Learn Aerial Silks by Yourself?
Although it’s beneficial to have a friend or instructor teach you the basics, aerial silks is a relatively safe art form. You can practice at home by hanging from a sturdy rafter in your basement or going to an aerial arts studio and using their equipment.
Here is how to get started:
1.Buy or rent an aerial silk hammock.
2. Hang the hammock from a sturdy beam in your basement or garage, or use the apparatus at an aerial arts studio.
3. Practice at home by yourself or with a friend.
4. Go to an aerial arts studio for group classes and workshops.
Aerial silks is a challenging and rewarding workout that can be done by anyone with a little bit of determination. With practice, you’ll be able to progress in the art form and perform more advanced moves. So go ahead and give it a try – aerial silks might just become your new favourite workout!